Patents by Inventor Michael Cina

Michael Cina has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 10336226
    Abstract: A listing bead fastening tool has a body that defines a guiding recess shaped to receive a listing bead, and a guide rib extending from the body. The guide rib has a neck and a head that is connected to the body of the tool by the neck. The head has a width to allow it to pass through a retention channel defined by opposing rows of fastener elements extending from a base of a fastener strip to which the listing bead is to be fastened. The guiding recess of the body of the tool defines a listing bead insertion path that is angled with respect to the retention channel. Moving the tool along the retention channel causes the listing bead, which is retained within the guiding recess, to be progressively inserted into the retention channel and retained between the rows of fastener elements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 23, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 2, 2019
    Assignee: Velcro BVBA
    Inventors: Paul Joseph Voigt, Victor Horst Kheil, Michael Cina
  • Publication number: 20180236914
    Abstract: A listing bead fastening tool has a body that defines a guiding recess shaped to receive a listing bead, and a guide rib extending from the body. The guide rib has a neck and a head that is connected to the body of the tool by the neck. The head has a width to allow it to pass through a retention channel defined by opposing rows of fastener elements extending from a base of a fastener strip to which the listing bead is to be fastened. The guiding recess of the body of the tool defines a listing bead insertion path that is angled with respect to the retention channel. Moving the tool along the retention channel causes the listing bead, which is retained within the guiding recess, to be progressively inserted into the retention channel and retained between the rows of fastener elements.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 23, 2017
    Publication date: August 23, 2018
    Inventors: Paul Joseph Voigt, Victor Horst Kheil, Michael Cina
  • Patent number: 9918526
    Abstract: A male touch fastener strip includes an elongated base and a field of male fastener elements each having a stem extending from a broad face of the base and a head for engaging fibers. The fastener element stems and broad face of the base together form a unitary mass of resin, such as a resin containing a magnetically attractable substance. Wings extend from respective longitudinal edges of the base and define discrete corrugations extending in a series along the fastener strip and forming corresponding undulations in the rear face of the strip along its longitudinal edges. The corrugated wings can also support a foam gasket.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 17, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2018
    Assignee: Velcro BVBA
    Inventors: Karl S. Mascarenhas, Michael Cina, Paul Joseph Voigt
  • Patent number: 9873363
    Abstract: A seat trim cover includes a flexible web and a plurality of molded clips spaced-apart at predetermined intervals along a distal edge of the web. Each of the clips includes a base attached to the web and an opposing pair of latch elements extending from the clip base. Each clip also defines a tool retention feature, such as an elongated slot. The clips are designed to be forced into engagement with a retainer of a seat cushion by engaging the tool retention feature of the clip with a tool, and applying force to the engaged tool to force the clip into engagement with the retainer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 27, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 23, 2018
    Assignee: Velcro BVBA
    Inventors: Victor Horst Kheil, Paul Joseph Voigt, Michael Cina, Daniel Lee Janzen
  • Patent number: 9826801
    Abstract: A male touch fastener strip includes an elongated base and a field of male fastener elements each having a stem extending from a broad face of the base and a head for engaging fibers. The fastener element stems and broad face of the base together form a unitary mass of resin, such as a resin containing a magnetically attractable substance. Wings extend from respective longitudinal edges of the base and define discrete corrugations extending in a series along the fastener strip and forming corresponding undulations in the rear face of the strip along its longitudinal edges. The corrugated wings can also support a foam gasket.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 28, 2017
    Assignee: Velcro BVBA
    Inventors: Karl S. Mascarenhas, Michael Cina, Paul Joseph Voigt
  • Patent number: 9635910
    Abstract: A touch fastener strip includes a pair of longitudinal barrier walls each extending upward from a base, a plurality of lateral barrier walls each extending upward from the base and between facing surfaces of the barrier walls, thereby defining one or more fastening cells, and a pair of wave walls each extending upward from the base and outboard the barrier walls thereby defining a relief space. Each wave wall has a wave shape having rising and falling edges, at least one of the edges having a slope in the range of 3° to 65°. In some cases, the wave shape has a duty cycle of 40% to 60%, and may include a sine wave, a triangle wave, a ramp wave, and/or a bi-modal wave having two different peak points in a given cycle of the shape. In one example application, the strip may be anchored in a foam cushion product.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 21, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 2, 2017
    Assignee: VELCRO BVBA
    Inventors: Michael Cina, Paul Joseph Voigt, Denise Lane
  • Publication number: 20160366992
    Abstract: A male touch fastener strip includes an elongated base and a field of male fastener elements each having a stem extending from a broad face of the base and a head for engaging fibers. The fastener element stems and broad face of the base together form a unitary mass of resin, such as a resin containing a magnetically attractable substance. Wings extend from respective longitudinal edges of the base and define discrete corrugations extending in a series along the fastener strip and forming corresponding undulations in the rear face of the strip along its longitudinal edges. The corrugated wings can also support a foam gasket.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 17, 2015
    Publication date: December 22, 2016
    Inventors: Karl S Mascarenhas, Michael Cina, Paul Joseph Voigt
  • Publication number: 20160366991
    Abstract: A male touch fastener strip includes an elongated base and a field of male fastener elements each having a stem extending from a broad face of the base and a head for engaging fibers. The fastener element stems and broad face of the base together form a unitary mass of resin, such as a resin containing a magnetically attractable substance. Wings extend from respective longitudinal edges of the base and define discrete corrugations extending in a series along the fastener strip and forming corresponding undulations in the rear face of the strip along its longitudinal edges. The corrugated wings can also support a foam gasket.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 17, 2015
    Publication date: December 22, 2016
    Inventors: Karl S Mascarenhas, Michael Cina, Paul Joseph Voigt
  • Patent number: 9504296
    Abstract: A male touch fastener strip includes an elongated base having a thickness and defining a longitudinal direction and a lateral direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction across the base between longitudinal edges of the base, and a field of male fastener elements each having a stem extending from a broad face of the base and a head at an upper end of the stem and overhanging the base for engaging fibers. The fastener element stems and broad face of the base together form a unitary mass of resin. The male touch fastener strip also includes a pair of longitudinal barrier walls rising from the broad face of the base on either side of the field of male fastener elements, and a plurality of lateral barrier walls. Each of the lateral barrier walls extends between facing surfaces of the longitudinal barrier walls to define a longitudinal column of bounded fastening cells that each contain one or more male fastener elements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 10, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 29, 2016
    Assignee: Velcro BVBA
    Inventors: Michael Cina, Paul Joseph Voigt, Man Wai Chan
  • Publication number: 20160316860
    Abstract: A touch fastener strip includes a pair of longitudinal barrier walls each extending upward from a base, a plurality of lateral barrier walls each extending upward from the base and between facing surfaces of the barrier walls, thereby defining one or more fastening cells, and a pair of wave walls each extending upward from the base and outboard the barrier walls thereby defining a relief space. Each wave wall has a wave shape having rising and falling edges, at least one of the edges having a slope in the range of 3° to 65°. In some cases, the wave shape has a duty cycle of 40% to 60%, and may include a sine wave, a triangle wave, a ramp wave, and/or a bi-modal wave having two different peak points in a given cycle of the shape. In one example application, the strip may be anchored in a foam cushion product.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 21, 2015
    Publication date: November 3, 2016
    Applicant: Velcro BVBA
    Inventors: MICHAEL CINA, PAUL JOSEPH VOIGT, DENISE LANE
  • Publication number: 20160311352
    Abstract: A seat trim cover includes a flexible web and a plurality of molded clips spaced-apart at predetermined intervals along a distal edge of the web. Each of the clips includes a base attached to the web and an opposing pair of latch elements extending from the clip base. Each clip also defines a tool retention feature, such as an elongated slot. The clips are designed to be forced into engagement with a retainer of a seat cushion by engaging the tool retention feature of the clip with a tool, and applying force to the engaged tool to force the clip into engagement with the retainer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 27, 2015
    Publication date: October 27, 2016
    Inventors: Victor Horst Kheil, Paul Joseph Voigt, Michael Cina, Daniel Lee Janzen
  • Patent number: 9138032
    Abstract: A touch fastener strip includes a pair of longitudinal barrier walls each extending upward from a base, a plurality of lateral barrier walls each extending upward from the base and between facing surfaces of the barrier walls, thereby defining one or more fastening cells, and a pair of wave walls each extending upward from the base and outboard the barrier walls thereby defining a relief space. Each wave wall has a wave shape having rising and falling edges, at least one of the edges having a slope in the range of 3° to 65°. In some cases, the wave shape has a duty cycle of 40% to 60%, and may include a sine wave, a triangle wave, a ramp wave, and/or a bi-modal wave having two different peak points in a given cycle of the shape. In one example application, the strip may be anchored in a foam cushion product.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 28, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 22, 2015
    Assignee: Velcro Industries B.V.
    Inventors: Michael Cina, Paul Joseph Voigt, Denise Lane
  • Publication number: 20150164186
    Abstract: A male touch fastener strip includes an elongated base having a thickness and defining a longitudinal direction and a lateral direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction across the base between longitudinal edges of the base, and a field of male fastener elements each having a stem extending from a broad face of the base and a head at an upper end of the stem and overhanging the base for engaging fibers. The fastener element stems and broad face of the base together form a unitary mass of resin. The male touch fastener strip also includes a pair of longitudinal barrier walls rising from the broad face of the base on either side of the field of male fastener elements, and a plurality of lateral barrier walls. Each of the lateral barrier walls extends between facing surfaces of the longitudinal barrier walls to define a longitudinal column of bounded fastening cells that each contain one or more male fastener elements.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 10, 2014
    Publication date: June 18, 2015
    Inventors: Michael Cina, Paul Joseph Voigt, Man Wai Chan
  • Patent number: 9034452
    Abstract: A male touch fastener strip includes an elongated base and a field of male fastener elements. The male touch fastener strip also includes longitudinal barrier walls rising from the broad face of the base on either side of the field of male fastener elements, and a pair of segmented walls. Each segmented wall and its nearest longitudinal barrier wall define therebetween a foam relief space. Each segmented wall defines a flow gap for allowing the foam material to enter the foam relief space.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 12, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 19, 2015
    Assignee: Velcro Industries B.V.
    Inventors: Michael Cina, Paul Joseph Voigt, Man Wai Chan
  • Patent number: 8756770
    Abstract: A fastening product, in the form of a flexible, sheet-form substrate (102) having a surface (108); a plurality of walls (104) extending from the surface (108) and defining therebetween an array (114) of cells (116) bounded by the walls (104) such that the walls separate adjacent cells of the array, the substrate (102) forming a floor (122) of each cell; and a plurality of fastener elements (106) extending from the surface (108) and interspersed among the cells (116). The fastener elements having heads (130) spaced above the surface (108) to define loop engagement overhangs (134) disposed within the cells. The cells (116) of the array (114) are arranged in columns (124) and rows (126), each column and each row comprising at least three of the cells, such that there exists at least one closed path (136) within the substrate (102) that fully circumscribes at least one of the cells.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 15, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 24, 2014
    Assignee: Velcro Industries B.V.
    Inventors: Michael Cina, David Nicholaus Zach, Earl Lorne Cowley, Patrick D. Todkill, Daniel Lee Janzen, Stephane Xavier Girard
  • Patent number: 8658068
    Abstract: A touch fastener including an elongated base having multiple segments connected by articulable joints. Each segment has an upper surface, a lower surface, and a plurality of touch fastener elements extending from the lower surface of the base. A flexible barrier extends across at least one articulable joint between adjacent base segments. The fastener may include a magnetically attractable material disposed along a center region of the upper surface of the base. The fastener base may define a pair of first and second notches in opposite longitudinal edges of the base at the articulable joint to allow bending of the base. The base may also define a slit extending through the base from a longitudinal edge thereof at the articulable joint.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 1, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 25, 2014
    Assignee: Velcro Industries B.V.
    Inventors: Kevin Keith Line, Stephane Xavier Girard, David Pubrat, Daniel Lee Janzen, Michael Cina, Kristel L. Ferry, Mark A. Clarner, David P. Kraus, Jr.
  • Publication number: 20130000085
    Abstract: A fastening product, in the form of a flexible, sheet-form substrate (102) having a surface (108); a plurality of walls (104) extending from the surface (108) and defining therebetween an array (114) of cells (116) bounded by the walls 122 (104) such that the walls separate adjacent cells of the array, the substrate (102) forming a floor (122) each cell; and a plurality of fastener elements (106) extending from the surface (108) and interspersed among the cells (116). The fastener elements having heads (130) spaced above the surface (108) to define loop engagement overhangs (134) disposed within the cells. The cells (116) of the array (114) are arranged in columns (124) and rows (126), each column and each row comprising at least three of the cells, such that there exists at least one closed path (136) within the substrate (102) that fully circumscribes at least one of the cells.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 15, 2011
    Publication date: January 3, 2013
    Applicant: VELCRO INDUSTRIES B.V.
    Inventors: Michael Cina, David Nicholaus Zach, Earl Lorne Cowley, Patrick D. Todkill, Daniel Lee Janzen, Stephane Xavier Girard
  • Publication number: 20110260360
    Abstract: A touch fastener including an elongated base having multiple segments connected by articulable joints. Each segment has an upper surface, a lower surface, and a plurality of touch fastener elements extending from the lower surface of the base. A flexible barrier extends across at least one articulable joint between adjacent base segments. The fastener may include a magnetically attractable material disposed along a center region of the upper surface of the base. The fastener base may define a pair of first and second notches in opposite longitudinal edges of the base at the articulable joint to allow bending of the base. The base may also define a slit extending through the base from a longitudinal edge thereof at the articulable joint.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 1, 2011
    Publication date: October 27, 2011
    Inventors: Kevin Keith Line, Stephane Xavier Girard, David Pubrat, Daniel Lee Janzen, Michael Cina, Kristel L. Ferry, Mark A. Clarner, David P. Kraus, JR.
  • Patent number: 7971325
    Abstract: A touch fastener including an elongated base having multiple segments connected by articulable joints. Each segment has an upper surface, a lower surface, and a plurality of touch fastener elements extending from the lower surface of the base. A flexible barrier extends across at least one articulable joint between adjacent base segments. The fastener may include a magnetically attractable material disposed along a center region of the upper surface of the base. The fastener base may define a pair of first and second notches in opposite longitudinal edges of the base at the articulable joint to allow bending of the base. The base may also define a slit extending through the base from a longitudinal edge thereof at the articulable joint.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 17, 2007
    Date of Patent: July 5, 2011
    Assignee: Velcro Industries B.V.
    Inventors: Kevin Keith Line, Stephane Xavier Girard, David Pubrat, Daniel Lee Janzen, Michael Cina, Kristel L. Ferry, Mark A. Clarner, David P. Kraus, Jr.
  • Publication number: 20090277566
    Abstract: A fabric mold liner includes a flexible fabric substrate and bounded regions of cured binder encapsulating fibers of the fabric substrate and carrying magnetically attractable particles. A liquid containing ferrous particles in suspension in a binder is deposited on the substrate in discrete, selected regions arranged to correspond to magnetic liner retention points in a mold cavity. The mold liner is used in molding a foam article. The liner is inserted into a mold cavity with the liner positioned such that the bounded regions carrying the binder align with magnetic liner retention points of internal surface. A foamable resin is introduced into the mold and is caused to expand to fill the mold cavity and cover an exposed surface of the liner, such that the liner becomes bonded to, and becomes a part of, a foam body formed by the resin.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 7, 2009
    Publication date: November 12, 2009
    Applicant: Velcro Industries B.V.
    Inventors: Stephen J. Lawrence, Michael Cina, Daniel Lee Janzen, Stephane Girard